Means for leveling freight trucks



J Oct. 21, 1930. i B; F. FITCH 4 -l,7'78 ,852

MEANS'FOR LEVELING FREIGHT TRUCKS Filed Nov. 26, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Oct. 21, 1930. B. F. FITCH MEANS FOR LEVELING FREIGHT TRUCKS Filed Nov.26, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I 3mm W m, 9 71M automobile bodies.

tion adjacent the end of the truck; Fig. 2'

5 of an empty truck;

Patented Get. 21, 1930 COMPANY, OF WILMINGTON, DELA vl AgE ACQRPOR-ATIONQF DELAWARE MEANS non LnvnLine irii'nrerrr TRUCKs Aplication filed November 26.1923. serial no. 321,834. I I

This invention relates to handling of freight in containers comprisingremovable floor. spring supported, there willbe a variation the loadwithin the container. desirable that provision be made for obtainingfloor alignment notwithstanding the place at which the truck is broughtgagement with the platform 1 In the drawings, 1 form ofapparatus forcarrying out my in:

. vention, wherein Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a motor truck having ademountable body thereon with'a platform being' shown in se c-.

shows the truck in engagement with the plat form, with my inventionoperating to maintain the floor surfaces'in alignment; Fig.1'3

' Fig.15 is a vertical section taken truck on the line .5-5 in Figl,

. A conventional form of'truck at 10 as be ng arrangedto support acontainthroughthe er 11, and as having. springs 12' which connect thetruck chassis to the rearaxles. The

container is shown as being provided with casters 13Wh1c'h moveintrackways 1 f extending longitudinallyof the truck floor. A 7 platformis indicated at 15 as having a floor" surface which is approximately thesame vertical distance above the ground as the floor-of the truck.Inasmuchfas the level of the'truck surface will vary with the load inthe container, it is desirable that the plate form level be higher thanthe maximum load v and lower than the minimum load. Thus, provision canbe maclefor raising the truck floor of a loaded truck and lowering thefloor lVhere such containers, I are intended to be moved horizontallyvbe-f 5 tween a truck and aplatforim'it is desirable that provision bemade for obtaining alignment of the truck'floor; with the platform It isobvious that as the trucks are in the level of these surfaces dependingupon It ,lS also.

into 'en- V p platform, thus enabling a trucli to be backed have shownapreferred :apracket Securing membersj32 may e utilized forattaching'thebracket tothe truck "frame." v"The axes of therollersextendtrans isa plan view of a truck adjacent the. plat form withthe body removed from the truck Fig. 4 is a vertical section on anenlarged. scale taken on thevline Min Fig. 3 and is.illustratedcontainer may be removed horizontally from s, the truck andto this end, the bottom of the To eifectsuch raising of the truck floorrefer'ence'to the platform floor, I provide roller members whichco-operate with'a guidmg member. In'the preferredform, theroll I ermembers are mounted upo'n the truckwhile the guiding member is mountedupon the platform. The guiding member is illustrated '21of'whichis'fastened to the verti'cal'ed'ge of the platform. If desired, theguiding mem ber'fQO may extend the entire length of the into theplatform at'jany desired place This.

' is particularly advantageous where the plat{ form is 'longlenough toaccommodate alarge: 7

number ofmotor trucks, l I

truck comprise 1 The roller members on the anxupper roller'25, andagl'ower roller 26, which 'are'ino'unted on a'ziles 27 and 28 ire- 29and 30-whichare'preferably integral with versely jof-theatrnckbodyandfliein'fa common vertical lane. 'Ifn' addition,the aXes'are' i .1'sp'ac'ediapar't sufficiently to-permi't the. gui ding member to passbetween the rollers, asiis illustrated in-Fig. lfwhen theftru'okis'backed "intof'engagementi with" the platform. j The. position of therollers with reference to thetruck frame is such that when theguidingmemberis disposed between the rollers, the, fioorlevel "isalignedwith thefioor leivelof the ipl atfolfih'luvI,nprwtice',Iemploytwo sets; o'f'rol'lers, one on eafchside oftheti'uckfasfis' r I p U Anaobject of the present inventionIisY'toprovide inean'sfor obtaining alignment of i illustrated in Fig. 3.

:spectively. fTheseaXles arec'arri'edby arms v the platform and truckfioor surfaces in a sime.

' ple and expeditiousmanner, and to devise a construction which willoperatein a satisfac: tory manner with the minimum amount of i"friction;between the truck and platform.

"] Froin-theiforegoing description, Iitis obvious that 'my" inventionprovides af'simple rugged construction which functions to align '10!)ing platform therefor a tongue extending, outwardly from the platform,and a pair of rollersca-rried by the. vehicle, the tongue be- I 7 'ingadapted to extend between the rollers for the floor surfaces ofthe truckand platform in an effective manner and yet minimizes frictional contactbetween the truckand platform. By utilizing a guiding member whichextends longitudinally of the platform and corresponding roller memberson the trucks, it is an'easy matter to effect proper alignmentof thefloor surfaces at any place along the platform edge. This has animportant practiml advantage, as it eliminates the ne- 1 cessity forth-e-construction of'trackways into which the truck must bebacked to afiect'alignment between guiding members Which are mounted at platform.

I claim; 1 '1. In combination,

a road vehicle, aload-- aligning the floor surfaces of theivehicle'andplatform.

the platform. floor.

2. In combination, a spring supported road vehicle, a loading platformfor said vehicle, a laterally extenc lingymember carried by the platformbeneath the floor surface thereof; and roller members carried by thevehicle beneath the floor surface thereof, said members being spacedapartsufficiently to admit saidimember therebetween when the vehicle isbrought into close relationshipwith the platform, whereby said memberand rollers co-operate to lift or lower the chassis of the vehicle toalign the'floor surfacethereof with '3. Int-combination, a road vehicle,a loading platform therefor, a flat plate projecting from the platformbeneath theplane ofthe 'jfloor surfacethereof and extendinghorizonatally'alongthe platform-fora distance grleata I er than the width'ofsaidvehicle, and spaced roller members mounted on the vehicle and adapted toengage either the topv or bottom surface of said'member to effectalignment of; h i

' the roller surfacesof the vehicle and plat form. l V i 4, Incombination, a motor truck, a load-f a I o lng, platform-therefor, andcoact ng gu1d ng 1 means onthe platform and truckfor align:

BENJAMIN FIrcH.

' In testimony" whereof, s1gnature;

predetermined points onthe

